Safety-aeroplane.



T. S. HAYNES.

SAFETY AEROPLANE.

APPLIOATION FILED 00111, 1913.

Patented NOV. 10, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

ATTORNEYS THE NORRIS PETER CO T. S. HAYNES.

SAFETY AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED 001 .11, 1913.

1,1 1 7,043. Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

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' By ATTORNEYS NORRIS PETERS 60.. FHblv-LITh I. WASHINGTON. D L.

2.4% AEHUNAU I IUb T. S. HAYNES. SAFETY AEROPLA'NB.

APPLICATION FILED 0012.11, 19i3.

1, 1 17,043, Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

- 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WIT/ 88158 6-5) 0% ,47TORNEY8 THE NORRIS PETERS C0,. PHOTO-LITHQ, WASHINGTON, n. c,

UNITED STATES THOMAS STANLEY HAYNES, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

SAFETY-AEROIPLAN E.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

Application filed October 11, 1913. Serial No. 794,623.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS S. HAYNES, a citizen of the United States, and resident of San Antonio, in the county of BeXar and State of Texas, have invented a new and Improved Safety-Aeroplane, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact descrip tion.

This invention relates to flying machines and has particular reference to aeroplanes of the biplane type.

Among the objects of the invention, is to provide a means, whereby the aviator may detach himself from the main or heavier portion of the construction and be sent to the earth in safety while seated on the usual seat of the machine and supported for gradual descent by means of the upper of the two planes, said upper plane acting somewhat in the nature of a parachute.

The foregoing and other objects are attained in the manner hereinafter more fully set forth and specifically claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of our machine complete; Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the upper part of the machine substantially on a line 22 of Fig. 5, the plane on which the view is taken being parallel to the front of the machne; Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the upper plane, the view being taken as from the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing certain movable parts in shifted position; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the complete machine somewhat diagrammatic; Fig. 6 is a fragment of the bottom of the seat indicating the means for controlling parts of the mechanism described below; Fig. 7 is a detail indicating the means for connecting the adjustment screw shown in Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the means for connecting the upper plane to the lower parts; Fig. 9 is a front elevation of the upper part of the machine detached from the lower and with the seat shown connected thereto, and Fig. 10 is a view of the lower part of the machine after the parachute portion is detached therefrom.

The several parts of the device may be made of any suitable materials and the relative sizes and proportions as well as the general design thereof, may be varied to a considerable extent without departing from the spirit of the invention hereinafter more fully set forth.

As above premised, a machine made, in accordance with this invention, comprises upper and lower planes 10 and 11 respec tively. These planes are suitably connected and braced (as indicated) by uprights 12 and guys 13. The lower plane 11 is deslgned to suspend the main supporting devices shown generally at 14, and also the power and controlling devices; the latter devices not constituting any part of this inventlon per 8e are not shown except that the engine is connected diagrammatically at 15. We also show a rudder 16 connected and controllable from the main plane 11 by any suitable connections indicated at 17.

As above intimated the upper plane 10 is detachably connected to the lower plane, the connections being controllable easily and almost instantly by the aviator from his position on the seat, 18. Said connecting means comprises a channel beam 19 secured to the upper ends of the braces 12 and substantially co-extensive with the length of the upper plane against the under surface of which it is detachably secured; as a convenient means for making such connection, I provide a series of slots 20 in said beam 19 and as many metal loops or eyes 21 secured permanently to the upper plane passed downwardly through said slots as shown especially in Fig. 8, and there they are secured by means of a keeper 22 slidably longitudinally within the channel beam 19. Said keeper is provided with a plurality of fingers 23 which extend through the eyes 21, looking them and the upper plane to said channel beam as shown in Figs. 3 and 8. The position of the keeper 22 is determined by means of a hand lever 24 pivoted at its upper end at 25 to the channel beam and having a link 26 connected to a lug 27 extending from the keeper. The hand lever is maintained normally in looking position for the keeper by means of a spring 28 connected to the lever at one end and to one of the braces at its other end. The lower end of the lever 24 extends downwardly within reach of the aviator and by a simple movement of the lever toward the left, the keeper is shifted so as to detach the fingers 23 from the eyes 21, setting the upper plane and the aviator free from the lower structure as shown in Figs. 9 and 10. The seat two planes l and 11.

- taining effect of the upper plane.

18 is so connected to the upper plane by means of stays or guys 29 as to insure the safe and easy landing of the aviator while gliding downwardly by virtue of the sus- Said fingers 23 are all in alinement with one another and hence constitute to a considerable extent a pivotal connection between the In other words, the aviator by means of a controller 30, is able to vary the angle between the two planes while seated upon the seat 18 and thereby to a certain extent, control the manipulation of the machine under ordinary conditions; said controller comprises a bar pivoted at its lower end 31 to a bracket 32 fixed to the bottom plane; said bar is pivoted so as to swing around its pivot in a vertical plane extending fore and aft. The bar is provided at its opposite sides with pairs of notches 30 which cooperate with a pair of spring arms 33 and 34 secured to the bottom of the seat and extending forwardly substantially parallel to each other therefrom.

The tension of the spring may be varied in any suitable manner depending upon the conditions to be encountered by the aviator. As shown in Fig. 6, I provide an adjustment screw 35 having a hand wheel 36 at one end and having swivel connection at 37 at its other end with an eye 38. Said eye embraces the spring 33 and the intermediate portion of the screw passes through a nut or sup port 39 secured to the bottom of the seat 18. The efiective position of the spring 33 may be varied, making it tighter or looser. Under ordinary conditions, the aviator may manipulate the controller by pulling up wardly thereon or pushing downwardly thereon directly through or between the two springs. The outer ends of the springs, however, are disconnected. In other words, the pivoting of the controlling bar 30 for movement in a vertical plane is merely for the purpose of effecting its disengagement .from the springs by throwing it forward beyond the open ends thereof, and the positioning of the planes relative to each other is accomplished by a direct downward or upward push or pull on said bar. The adjustment of the controlling bar is made secure automatically thereafter, subject to a further push or pull thereon, by the clamping efiect of the springs cooperating with the notches on opposite sides of the bar.

The seat 18 is steadied with respect to the main plane 11 by means of a bracket 40 having loose slidable engagement with the set of frogs &1 connected to the lower plane. This construction prevents undue lateral vibration between the two main parts, but permits the required angular adjustment between the two planes as above set forth.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In an aeroplane, the combination of an upper plane, a seat connected beneath the same, said upper plane having a series of downwardly projecting eyes, a lower plane, a slotted member carried by the lower plane and cooperating with said eyes, a series of fingers movable along said slotted member interlocking the upper plane thereto through the eyes and means controllable from the seat to withdraw said fingers from the eyes to detach the upper plane.

2. In an aeroplane, the combination with an upper plane, and a seat suspended therefrom, a lower plane, power devices carried by the lower plane, means to pivotally connect the upper plane to the lower plane, means to control the angular movement between the two planes relatively around said pivotable connection, and means within the reach of the aviator to terminate said connection.

3. In an aeroplane, the combination of an upper plane, a seat suspended therefrom, a lower plane, power and controlling devices carried by the lower plane, connecting devices between the upper and lower planes comprising a channel member having a series of slots extending throughout its length, a series of eyes fixed to the upper plane and extending through said slots, a connected se- 7 the aviator from the seat to slide the fingers out of locking engagement.

4. In an aeroplane, the combination with upper and lower planes, and means for detachably connecting them adjacent the upper plane, of a controlling bar pivotally connected to one of said planes and a pair of parallel spring members connected to the other of said planes, said bar having a series of notches adapted to cooperate with said springs substantially as set forth.

5. In an aeroplane, the combination with upper and lower planes, a seat connected to the upper plane and means to detachably connect the planes together, of a controlling bar pivoted to the lower plane adjacent the seat and adapted to move around its pivot in a vertical plane toward and from the aviator, and a pair of springs secured to the seat and extending forwardly therefrom and engaging said bar on opposite sides, the front ends of the springs being disconnected.

6. In an aeroplane, the combination with upper and lower planes, a seat connected to and suspended from the upper plane and means controllable from the seat to detachably connect the upper and lower planes together, of auxiliary controlling means comprising a bar pivoted to the lower planes in reach of the aviator to vary the tension 10 and extending upwardly in the front of the of said springs. seat and movable in a vertical plane, said In testimony whereof I have signed my bar having oppositely arranged pairs of name to this specification in the presence of '5 notches, a pair of springs connected to the two subscribing witnesses.

seat and extending forwardly therefrom and THOMAS STANLEY HAYNES. engaging in any of said notches, the front Witnesses:

ends of the springs being spaced for detach- BEN. M. Worrono,

ment of the bar therefrom, and means with- CHAS. F. OMAND.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the commissioner of latents,

' Washington, D. 0. 

